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stanford_dude · 04-15-2006, 06:12 PM

Gibbs free energy is the energy available in the universe for work. If ΔS is positive, that means the entropy is positive and therefore IS SPONTANEOUS. Entropy is the randomness/disorder of the universe, or as my teacher likes to say...spreadiness.

EDIT: I forgot. It also depends on the ΔH. If ΔH is negative and ΔS is positive, the reaction is spontaneous. If ΔS is positive and ΔH is positive, a process is spontaneous at high temperatures, where exothermicity plays a small role in the balance.

04-15-2006, 06:12 PM	#47
stanford_dude Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 231	Gibbs free energy is the energy available in the universe for work. If ΔS is positive, that means the entropy is positive and therefore IS SPONTANEOUS. Entropy is the randomness/disorder of the universe, or as my teacher likes to say...spreadiness. EDIT: I forgot. It also depends on the ΔH. If ΔH is negative and ΔS is positive, the reaction is spontaneous. If ΔS is positive and ΔH is positive, a process is spontaneous at high temperatures, where exothermicity plays a small role in the balance.